BUSH TO VISIT NAPA TODAY

The president will fly aboard Air Force One to Redding, where he will meet with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for a briefing with state fire officials.

He'll tour some of the hardest hit areas by helicopter and attend a ceremony in Redding honoring three Eagle Scouts before flying to Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield.

From there, he's expected to board another helicopter for the short trip to Napa, where he will attend a Republican National Committee dinner at an undisclosed location. A party source requesting anonymity said 112 people would be there donating $850,000.

"We've had a long string of Republican candidates come through here over the years," said Mike Harris, a Petaluma City Councilman and regional chairman of McCain's election team. "If you do a West Coast swing, Napa tends to be one of the places you stop."

Rudy Guiliani, the former New York mayor and Republican presidential candidate, came to Yountville in December and former GOP candidate Mitt Romney was in Oakville this year. Schwarzenegger has raised funds several times in Napa County and also helped raise money at receptions in Santa Rosa and in the Alexander Valley.

Two years ago, Bush spent the night at Meadowood Resort in St. Helena. Thousands of demonstrators stood along Silverado Trail to voice their displeasure or support for the president, and local residents had gathered at a St. Helena school hoping his helicopter might land nearby.

Instead, Bush's helicopter touched down just before dark at Angwin Airport. His 27-car motorcade snaked along back roads and disappeared into Meadowood resort.

A White House spokesman said today's reception is private, and the president isn't planning to meet the public.

Afterward, Bush will fly to Tucson, Ariz., where he will spend the night, spokesman Trey Bohn said.

Temporary flight restrictions were issued by the Federal Aviation Administration that affect parts of Napa and Sonoma counties.

Harris, who received an invitation to today's event but was not planning to attend, said the reception is mostly about thanking donors and less about campaigning.

"These people are already committed to giving money," Harris said. "There will be a lot of mingling and picture-taking."

The money will enter the national committee's swelling bankroll -- now at $53 million -- and be used independently to help McCain in the general election. By comparison, the Democratic National Committee had just $4 million in cash on hand at the end of May.

Bush's attendance at GOP fund-raisers has proven invaluable, party officials said.

He "has been a great fund-raiser, and the RNC is fortunate for his time and appreciative of all his efforts to raise the resources to ensure victory in November," said Bill Riggs, national committee spokesman.